Academic Regulations

Academic Progression Policy
Academic Skills Courses & Placement Assessment
Cancelled Classes
Class Attendance
Course Numbering System

Credit Hour Load
Placement Assessment
Prerequisites
Undergraduate Repeat Policy
Withdrawal from the University

Academic Progression Policy
A student who has not successfully completed the academic skills requirements will have a hold(s) placed on their records that will remain until the specified requirements have been met.

Academic Skills Courses & Placement Assessment
Freshmen: Once accepted for admission to Chicago State University, all freshmen must take the university diagnostic examinations in English, mathematics and reading by the end of the first term in residence. All freshmen must either meet the minimal requirements of the university diagnostic examinations in English and Reading or pass the appropriate academic skills course, namely, English 1230 or 1240, Reading 1500, or Math 0990. To exit from these courses, students must pass the appropriate examination.

Transfer Students: Transfer students who have not completed an associate's degree (A.A.degree or A.S. degree) must take proficiency examinations in English and reading. Transfer students who transfer one or two general education math courses with a grade of C or better and whose majors do not require additional mathematics courses do not have to take the proficiency examination in mathematics.  Transfer students who do not transfer general education math courses or who are required by their majors to take more math, must take the proficiency examinations in mathematics.

Transfer students who have earned an associate's degree (A.A. degree or A.S. degree) or who have completed sixty (60) hours or more from a combination of two-year and four-year institutions, and who have completed the Illinois General Education Core, are not required to take the proficiency examinations in English, reading and math.

Questions about the courses, the examinations, or preparation materials should be addressed to the appropriate department chairperson:

 

Subject Chairperson Office Phone (773)
Mathematics Dr. K. Attele HWH 332 995-2102
English Dr. B. Aghahowa SCI 320 995-2189
Reading Dr. R. Buteau ED 318 995-2089

 

Cancelled Classes
The university reserves the right to limit the size of the classes and to cancel classes for which there is insufficient enrollment. If the class for which you are registered is cancelled, you will automatically be dropped from the class. If you do not find an alternative class, a tuition refund will be processed to your account, according to the refund policy. Students receiving financial aid may wish to consult with their financial aid counselor concerning any award implications.

Class Attendance
Students are expected to attend all class sessions in the course sections for which they are registered unless prevented by illness, an official university activity, or other urgent and unavoidable reasons. The responsibility for maintaining class attendance records rests with each faculty member. Students are expected to arrange with faculty members to complete class work and all assignments when classes are missed.

The following is the university policy on class attendance:

• An instructor may drop students who do not attend the first day of class and make no attempt to contact the instructor or department chairperson prior to the absence. The instructor may report students who do not attend the first two weeks of class without evidence of a legitimate excuse to the registrar, who will drop the student from the class.

• Instructors are required to monitor and keep records of the attendance of students at all class meetings. If a student’s total absences are equal to or exceed the equivalent of two weeks of instruction, the instructor may drop the student from the course with a grade of W by Wednesday, September 23, 2009. The instructor may assign a nonattendance grade of W/A or W/N. (See WITHDRAWAL FROM THE UNIVERSITY)

• To drop or withdraw from courses, the student must use the drop/withdrawal form, have an advisor sign it, and then submit the form to the registrar’s office. If a student stops attending a class but fails to withdraw officially from the class before the official drop date, the result may be a failing grade. Although the instructor may drop a student for nonattendance, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to drop the class. (See WITHDRAWAL FROM THE UNIVERSITY).

If you are registered for a class and you are informed that your name does not appear on the official preliminary and/or subsequent class rosters, it is your responsibility to investigate the matter immediately by contacting the Office of Records and Registration.

Course Numbering System

Effective Fall 2008: Course numbers have changed from three-digit numbers to four-digit numbers. For a full listing of the three-digit course numbers and the equivalent four-digit course numbers, please visit the following website:

www.csu.edu/coursebulletin/coursenumconversion.htm

Courses Numbers Level
0900 to 0999 Developmental
1000 to 1999 Freshman
2000 to 2999 Sophomore
3000 to 3999 Junior
4000 to 4999 Senior
5000 to 5999 Masters
6000 to 6999 Doctoral

Graduate students-at-large may enroll in graduate-level courses by obtaining permission from the academic department supervising the courses prior to attempting course registration.  Restrictions or safeguards are built into the registration system that prevent registration in these courses by students-at-large. Students at-large who wish to enroll in graduate courses should first check with department graduate advisors or chairpersons to have these restrictions lifted prior to registration.

Credit Hour Load
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: The maximum credit hour load for the fall semester is 16 credit hours. This includes all day session courses, evening courses, extension courses and courses taken elsewhere. Additional hours beyond sixteen (16) must be approved by the department. The registrar’s office must record that approval in the system. Students whose CSU cumulative grade point average is 3.0 or better may register for a program of eighteen (18) semester hours.

Students who have a cumulative CSU grade point average of 1.99 or less are limited to a maximum of 12 credit hours or four courses. Although there is no minimum credit-hour load for students, the following minimum credit-hour loads are recommended: Veterans receiving benefits under Public Law 89-358 “Veterans Readjustments Benefits Act of 1966,” must carry 12 credit hours to be eligible for full subsistence allowances during the fall semester. Students may not be registered at other colleges without written permission from the Academic Evaluation and Advisement Office, ADM 128. This permission MUST be obtained prior to registration at either college.

F-1 international students must carry a minimum 12 hours during fall and spring terms to maintain lawful F-1 student status in the United States.

GRADUATE STUDENTS: A full-time academic load of graduate courses is twelve (12) hours in the fall semester. Exceptions to the graduate course credit hour load may be made with the approval of the graduate faculty advisor and/or the department chairperson and the graduate dean. Students may not be registered at other colleges and universities without approval of their advisors and the graduate dean. Permission must be obtained prior to registration at either college.

Placement Assessment (ADM 126)
Students must have a picture ID to take the placement assessment. The placement assessment schedule is posted in the office, as well as on the examination office web site www.csu.edu/examinations/.

Prerequisites
Prerequisites are listed in the university catalog or on CSU’s website at www.csu.edu/catalogs. A student should not attempt to register for a course unless she/he meets the prerequisites, if any, for the course. If a student does not meet the prerequisite for a course, the student may be dropped from the course. Please consult your academic advisor about prerequisites for your courses.

Undergraduate Repeat Policy
Students are allowed to repeat a course and have the highest grade earned count toward their cumulative grade point average. Please note that certain financial aid programs may not coverthe tuition for repeated courses. Students should contact a financial aid advisor when attempting to repeat a course, to determine eligibility.

Withdrawal from the University
Students who withdraw from the university by September 8, 2009 are eligible for a total refund of all mandatory fees. Students are permitted to withdraw from the university until Wednesday, September 23, 2009 after completing a change of program/withdrawal form. Students who withdraw from the university from September 9, 2009 to September 23, 2009 are eligible for a 50% refund of the eligible tuition and fees. No refunds will be issued after this date if a student withdraws from the university. 

Students must receive the approval of the advisor, bursar and the financial aid office to withdraw during this period. A withdrawal from the university is not complete until the change of program/withdrawal form is submitted and approved by a records and registration staff member.  Students who withdraw must complete a withdrawal survey when they submit their withdrawal form to the Office of the Registrar, ADM 128. Errors in the information provided on the change of program/withdrawal form are the student’s responsibility.

Students can request to drop or withdraw from a course after midterm grades are submitted until Friday, November 13, 2009. The form must have the instructor’s signature, student’s signature, and the grade of W/P or W/F must be circled by the instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to submit the signed form to the Office of the Registrar, ADM 128, no later than Friday, November 13, 2009. Forms submitted after November 13, 2009 will not be accepted.

Students can also request to be totally withdrawn from the university prior to the final exam period. Each instructor must sign the post mid-term drop form in the space for written permission and circle the grade of W/P or W/F. It is the student’s responsibility to submit the signed form to the Office of the Registrar no later than Monday, November 30, 2009, prior to final exams. Grades of either W/P or W/F will appear on the final grade sheet for students who have requested a total withdrawal prior to the final exam period.

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